Shape-retainer for caps and hats.



B. J. lLBVIN.

SHAPE RETAINER FOR GAPS AND HATS.

APPLICATION FILED 113N114, 1910.

Patented Aug. 1, 1911.

COLUMBIA PLANDCIRAPH 110., WASHINGTON, D. C.

BENJAMIN J. LEVIN, OF SOUTH AIVIBOY, NEW JERSEY.

SHAPE-RETAINER FOR CAPS AND HATS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 1, 1911.

Application filed June 4, 1910. Serial No. 565,149.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, BENJAMIN J. LEVIN, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of South Amboy, county of Middlesex, and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Shape-Retainers for Caps and Hats, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact specification.

This invention relates to a class of devices adapted to be applied to and used for retaining the shape of a cap or hat.

The primary object of the invention is to provide a simple and inexpensive retainer or device which may be readily placed within the top of a cap or hat worn by persons and which is adapted to efiiciently keep the same in its proper shape; and another object of my invention is to provide a retainer which may be readily applied to various shapes and forms of caps or hats or may be easily removed therefrom so as to be transferred for use in another cap or hat if desired.

My invention has further for its object to provide a form of retainer which may be made of thin woven wire, or haircloth or other flexible material of" sufficient stiffness to maintain the proper shape of the cap or hat as well as being light in weight and serving to give comfort to the wearer.

Furthermore, my invention has certain other novel features and parts which will be hereinafter described with reference to the accompanying drawing forming a part of this specification and more particularly pointed out in the appended claim.

In the drawing, Figure 1 is a central sec- I tional view of a cap with one form of shape retainer embodying my invention fitted therein. Fig. 2 is an enlarged bottom plan, partly fragmentary, of the retainer. Fig. 3 is a sectional view of the retainer. Fig. 1 is a side view of another form of the retainer applied to a different shape of cap, and Fig. 5 is a front view of still another form of retainer applied to a hat.

In practice the retainer 10 is preferably adapted to be applied within a cap, as at 11, and has a body 12 which is approximately semicircular in shape so as to snugly fit the interior surface of the crown of the cap. The body 12of the retainer 10 may be made of a thin wire-screen, or woven haircloth, or open mesh material, and upon the underside of said body is provided a roll or curled part 13. This roll 13 is formed at the circular-shaped edge of the body 12 and each of its ends 11 is tapered so as to be graduated to nothing at the opposed edges adjacent to the lateral ends 15 and 16 of the body 12.

As shown in Fig. 1 my shape retainer is removably held within the cap at the front part which overlaps the top of the vizor and in the form shown in this view the roll 13 is tubular in shape with the edge 17 contacting with the under surface of the body 12, while in Fig. 3 the roll 13 is substantially U- shaped and has the edge 18 curved outwardly from the under surface of the body 12 so as to engage the inner surface of a cap for holding the retainer securely in different forms of caps. The body 12 may be covered upon the under surface as at 19, or may be covered upon the upper surface, as 20, with any suitable fabric or material, and the edge 21 of said body opposite the roll 13 may be upwardly curved and likewise covered with any desired material.

In Fig. 4 the retainer 22 is substantially L-shaped as shown in side edge View. This form is adapted to be applied to a shape of cap having a substantially drum-shaped body, as illustrated in dotted lines, and similar to the form of retainer 10 the downwardly extending part 23 is shaped to conform with the front curvature of the cap and has the free edge 24 curved so as to engage the inner surface of the cap. The body 25 of this retainer 22 is adapted to fit closely to the under surface of the top of the cap, and has an upwardly curved edge, as at 26, for gripping the material of the cap so as to keep the cap in proper shape and prevent displacement of said retainer.

Illustrated in Fig. 5 is a form of retainer 27 adapted to be used for keeping what is ordinarily known as a soft-hat in shape. This form of retainer 27 is substantially an inverted-W in shape having the walls 28, 29, 30 and 31 formed by curving the body 32 into substantially the shape of rolls, as at 33 and 34, so as to conform with the crown of the hat, as indicated in dotted lines, the top of which is usually creased centrally from the front to the back thereof. The free edges 35 of the outer walls 28 and 31 are curved in opposite directions for engaging the inner surface of sides of the crown of the hat, and in this manner an efficient form of retainer is provided for maintaining the shape of various styles of soft hats.

It is understood that changes may be made in the shape of my retainer or in the form of the roll and I may dispense With the use of a covering therefor Without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention, therefore I do not Wish to be limited to the particular forms of the retainer and component parts thereof as herein described and illustrated.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as ne and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

A shape retainer for caps of the character described, comprising a body of flexible material adapted to fit the interior surface of the crown of a cap and having a semi-circular edge; and a tubular roll provided upon the semi-circular edge of the body and adapted to fit in the front part of the cap Which overlaps the top of the vizor thereof said roll having tapered opposed ends.

This specification signed and witnessed this 23rd day of May A. D. 1910.

BENJAMIN J. LEVIN.

Witnesses:

R0131. B. ABBOTT, C. GAssERT.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

